The 'superweapon' that almost won Hitler the war! (Patreon)

WW2 is fascinating like this. So many times the balance of this war hung in the balance with science and technology being the tipping factor. Here the Germans really did have a 'Great Britain defeating weapon'. However... the German navy was doing a great job laying these mines with subs, and the airforce wanted in on the glory. You would have thought in a war like this, people would have been team players. Sadly no, and there are many examples both on the axis and allies sides where glory hogging/ pride cost 1000s of lives. In this case the German Navy was vigorously opposed to laying mines from the air. They feared it couldnt be done accurately enough (navigating planes by night at the beginning of the war was a VERY haphazard affair!), and a mine being captured. This is exactly what happened on almost their first sortie. In an incredibly short period of time (about a month) the british had several experimental magnetic mine sweeping technologies, and within months they were effectively clearing the shipping lanes. Conversely, later in the war, it was the US aerial laying of magnetic mines around Japan that was so devastating. Many thanks to all those who supported the making of this video!